Culture

Instagram Inspiration is a new column on Seattlemag.com that explores our favorite Instagram themes each week. This week, our mind is on warm-weather style. We picked some of our favorite looks that play up muted shades of cream and blue in a mix of fabrics and styles; perfect for this season's dramatic weather changes (hello, this entire week). Here's a few great shots to give you outfit inspiration for the upcoming weekend.

Running, just like sauerkraut or Michael Bay movies, is an acquired taste. While it might not be an activity that some of us particularly enjoy, we know there are a lot of you Seattleites who do like your cardio à la Forrest Gump (gnarly beard optional).

With warm weather right around the corner, there’s no better time to start staking out the best date spots in the city. And when it comes to romance, what’s sweeter than taking your sweetheart on a romantic picnic in one of the area’s many gorgeous parks? It’s hard to go wrong when you’re picnicking out on the shores of one of Seattle’s glistening bodies of water or sitting in the shade of its gorgeous greenery.

I just returned from a world’s fair in Milan, Italy. The fair, Expo 2015, is devoted to the subject of “Feeding the Planet.” Milan has long been an inspiration on its own. For example, it is the place that inspired Howard Schultz to turn Starbucks from a coffee purveyor to a seller of lattes to the world after he visited their cafes back in 1983.

Didn’t qualify for the U.S. Open? No problem. While the competitors show off their strokes at the tournament in nearby Chambers Bay (6/15–6/21; usga.usopen.com), you can ply your putter at one of Seattle’s miniature golf courses.Green Lake Pitch and Putt

They say your home is a reflection of your identity—and if money allows, you can reshape your house (through a new coat of paint, a kitchen remodel, a second story) to more accurately reflect the person you are, or hope to be. But what happens when the relationship goes the other way—when a house transforms a human into a particular sort of person? Seattle sculptor Leo Saul Berk, 42, believes the house he grew up in is the reason he became an artist.

The Makers is a new column on Seattlemag.com that explores different Seattle creatives and their crafts. These artists live to design, connect and create.
Alexandra Greenwald has been obsessed with pastries since she was 12 years old, when she would ogle the éclairs and macarons her aunt would bring back from Paris. Photo Credit: Sparkfly photography

Remember a superhero named The Red Bee? No? How about The Bouncer? Or The Puppeteer? Now’s your chance to get to know these (understandably) long-lost comic book stars, thanks to a new book by Redmond-based writer Jon Morris. The League of Regrettable Superheroes (Quirk Books, $24.95) grew out of Morris’ blog, Gone & Forgotten (gone-and-forgotten.blogspot.com), in which he unearths lesser-known comic books from the past and explains the strengths and foibles of these “half-baked heroes.”

Must WatchWhim W'him X-Posed at Cornish Playhouse(5/29 to 5/31, times vary) Former PNB dancer Olivier Wevers directs his recently formed company in X-Posed, featuring three new pieces: one by Seattle’s edgy Kate Wallich; one by French choreographer Manuel Vignoulle; and one by Wevers himself, exploring what’s unfiltered, raw and real.

Emerald City Express: Cyclists are pushing for bike lanes along 5th Avenue, says King 5 News. The plan would create a protected bike route (AKA the "Emerald Mile") between Denny and Olive, a segment already divided by the Monorail. Opponents of the Emerald Mile worry that the route would take away from already-limited parking spots and contribute to congestion.

Akio Takamori’s ceramic work reflects a long-term interest in matters of the flesh. He often paints blushing red cheeks on his sensuous figures, giving the impression that blood has just rushed to the surface of the skin. His people squat, curl into the fetal position, lie in repose, ride piggyback, stand with arms crossed over their chests and spell out the words “love” and “lust” with their bodies. Though more cartoonish than realistic, the figures nonetheless radiate humanness, inspiring a tactile sort of empathy when an arm clasps a knee, a hand grips a shoulder.

Instagram Inspiration is a new column on Seattlemag.com that explores our favorite Instagram themes each week.
This week, our minds are on food. We’re drooling over these seasonal recipes--perfect for those long summer nights and backyard barbecues. We hope these mouth-watering snaps inspire you to try that new recipe you’ve been dying to make, or roast some s'mores over the fire. Happy cooking!

So long, Silicon Valley: According to Seattle-based Redfin, "For the first time ever, the median price for a Silicon Valley home just exceeded one million dollars," which means that people are leaving the area simply because they can't afford to stay. Just where are they headed?